Spring-needle knitting-machine



W. SCHWARZE. I SPRING NEEDLPKNITTING M NE. APPLICATION FILED MAYIS. 920.

1,386,431. Patented g- 2, 1921.

UNITED STATES OF .PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO RUDOLPH H. WYNER, 013 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

WILLIAM SCHWARZE,

PATENT OFFICE.

SPRING-NEEDLE KNITTING-MACHINE.

Application filed May 15,

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VVILLIAM SoHwARzn, a citizen of the'United States of America, and resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvanla, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spring-Needle Knitting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to knitting machines, and more particularly to that class of machines which employ independently actuated needles of the spring beard type.

In machines employing spring beard needles it is necessary to provide some means for closing the needle beard during the shedding of the old loop. Various devlces have previously been employed for this purpose, and in some cases have taken the form of independent, cam actuated beard closers associated with the several needles and which are projected into engagement with the needle beards for closing the latter at the proper time in the knitting operation. In the practical employment of such devices commonly found in the art, it has been found that the effect on the needle beard is so harsh that the latter is bent or broken very quickly, adding greatly to the expense of upkeep and frequently seriously damaging the product of the machine, whlle many of such arrangements are impractical for use with fine gage knitting machines.

The present invention seeks to avoid so far as possible, such undesirable features of previous beard presser' means and has for its object the provision of means for closing the beards in an improved manner and as one more of accomplishing this result may provide for flexing the needles outwardly as they pass the knitting point, whereby to bring their beards into closing contact with a relatively fixed beard presser. In order to secure the most beneficial results from such an operation it is found desirable to so ar range the flexing means that the needle shall. be flexed about a point as remote as practicable from the beard. The needle shank being somewhat resilient, and substantially unsupported throughout a large portion of its length, this arrangement makes it possible for the hook end of the needle to adjust itself to a certain extent during the pressing operation, whereby the closing action is extended over a greater period of time than Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 381,788.

usual, all harshness of action is avoided, and only the necessary closing pressure between the presser and beard is secured.

For the purpose of flexing the needles outwardly for pressing the beards, the needles may be arranged to have a secondary movement imparted to them during their retraction, and an object of the present invention is to provide effective means for producing such movement. Such means may for example comprise the employment of needles having surfaces inclined relatively to their axes, such surfaces preferably being formed upon rearwardly projecting humps on the needle shanks and adapted to cooperate with other parts in securing the desired movement. Such other parts may take the form of elements arranged to lie in the path of said surfaces as the latter are retracted, the relative inclination of such surfaces and element being such as to force the needles outwardly during their descent.

As it is desirable for a purpose hereinafter referred to, to vary, at times, the operative relations of said surfaces and elements, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide suitable arrangements of parts to permit such operation and a preferred mechanism for carrying into effect such arrangements in accordance with the present invention may desirably consist in the provision of cam operated jacks mounted to move relatively to the needles and having inclined ends constituting the elements above referred to. Such jacks'may if desired be mounted to slide in the needle grooves behind the needles although such an arrangement is in no sense essential to the carrying out of this part of the invention as it is contemplated that other arrangements of jacks and engaging needle shank surfaces may be successfully employed for such purposes.

To further lessen the strain on the beard during the knitting operation, the knitting cams and the cams for actuating the needle flexing means, which as herein illustrated take the form of independent jacks located behind the needles, are so relatively arranged that the closing of the needle beard takes place at an intermediate portion of the needle retraction, the beard remaining closed until the cast-off point is reached, at which time the needle is permitted to spring back quickly to normal position. In this manner the beard is subjected to but a single pressing action as by reason of the rapid and early straightening of the needle, the needle beard fails to come into pressing contact with the presser during the rip-stroke of the needle.

One specific mode of accomplishing the objects of the invention as above pointed out has been herein described and illustrated as an instance only of the forms in which it may be realized. 7 In the annexed drawings- Figure 1 is apartial vertical section through the cylinder of a knitting machine adapted for the employment of the present invention, showing the needle in its most elevated position;

Fig.2 is a front elevation on smaller scale, of the interior of that portion of the cam cylinder which contains the knitting cams;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic elevational view v showing the successive positions of succes- ,sive needles in takingv the yarn and forming thestitch, and showing the relative positions of the needles and jacks during this opera- Fig. 4: is a top plan View of that portion of the cam cylinder shown in Fig. 2;

[Figs 5, 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views illustrating successive stages of the beard pressing operation. 1 indicates the needle cylinder provided on its outside surface with. slots 2' for'the reception of the needles; 3

is the cam cylinder upon the interior sur faceof which are mounted the cams for actuating the needles; 4 is a web-holder bracket secured in usual manner to the cylinder, and provided at 5 with a dial in which are mounted I web-holders '6.

beoperated by cams contained in a cam ring 8 mounted upon thedial in usual manner; 9 is a needle movable in the slot 2, said needle being provided with a spring beard 10'andh'aving at its lower end a butt 11 arranged for actuation by theneedle cams.

As herein shown the needle grooves are cut deeper than is the usual practice, and in the bottoms of said. grooves and behind the 1 needle shanks are provided slidablejacks 12,

said jacks being provided with butts 13 for.

actuation by cams to be hereinafter described. At a point intermediate the length of the needle shank and preferablyat some distance below the webholders, each needle is 1 provided with a rearwar'dly extending hump 14, said hump providing an upwardly and rearwardly inclined cam face 15, lVhile as herein shown, the hump is formed by bending theneedle shank, it is clear that other: arrangements for providing a suitable actuatingcam surface for the needle may be employed in securing. thegdesired result.

' The upper end'of'each jack, as'shown at These webholders are provided with butts 7 which may 16, is provided with a downwardly and for 7 19 or any other suitable and desired manner.

7 The needle cam cylinder has secured to its inner surface needle lifting cams 20 and 21, and a needle depressing or stitch forming cam 22, said cams forming a cam path for engagement by the butts 11 of the needles, whereby the needles are given their stitch forming movement. Below the cams 20 and 21 is a second pair of cams 23', 24 respectively, which serve to raise the jacks 12, and for depressing the jacks a cam 25 is provided below the stitch forming cam 22. Above the uppermost'point of the cam 21 a guard cam 26 is provided to prevent overthrow of the needles in their upward movement. 27 indicates a usual and desirable form. 7

Referring now to Fig. 2, it will be noticed that the upper portion of cam 23jis formed with a flat or inactive surface, constituting a dwell portion while the" lower end'of the jack depressing cam 25 is formed with a similar surface. It will also be seen that the needle depressing cam is provided with an acute lower extremity, and furthermore that the needles approach, the knitting cams while in'their upper position, as shown in Fig. 1, and as is indicated at the right hand por tion of Fig. 3. In this position, as will be noticedby inspection of Fig. 1, the hump 14 of the needle is at a substantial distance yarn guide'of any above the upper end of the corresponding jack. As the needle butt comes into contact with the advancing portion of cam. 22. it is cau'sedto retract withaccelerated velocity due to the shape of games until. it reaches the point indicated by the letter a in Fig.

2. This also corresponds with the position V of the' nee'dle as shown in F ig. From this point to'the point 6 (Fig: 2) and which corresponds;with the position of the needles shown in Fig. 7, the needle continues to move don' 'nwarjdly whileincontact with a relatively stationary ack, the butt of which is at this time travelingalong' the level upper surface of cam 23. During such relative travel of the needle and jack, the needle shank is wedged outwardly so that its beard is caused to intersect the vertical plane of the inner edge of the presser ring. As shown in the successive Figs. to 7, the needle after reaching this position is continued in its downward movement whereby the heard is pressed and is caused to pass I cams 21 and 24 until they reach their respecthat by reason of the curved form of the re-- through the old loop carried upon the needle shank. As the point of operative contact of the cam portion 16 of the jack with thecam face 15 of the needle is at a very substantial distance from the hook end of the needle, and as the needle shank is somewhat resilient, the closing of the beard is extended over an unusually long period of time and is cushioned to such an extent as, to avoid any harshness in operation.

From the point 6, Fig. 2, the needle butt continues to descend until it reaches the lower extremity of cam 2, and during this last portion of the needle movement, the jack butt travels down the advancing surface of cam 25 in a path substantially parallel to the needle butt. By this means the fiexure of the needle outwardly from the cam cylinder is maintained throughout the last part of the loop-drawing action, and although the needle is released from engagement with the presser member before its lowest point is attained it is maintained in its outwardly flexed position relatively to the web holders until after it begins to rise up the slope of cam 21.

Immediately upon passing the lower extremity of the stitch cam 22, the needle but is caused to rise along the advancing surface of cam 21, but during the first portion of this movement the jack butt moves along the level lower surface of cam 25. The hump 14 thus rapidly leaves the surface 16 of the jack, whereupon the needle is free to spring backwardly in its slot and assume its normal vertical position, the web holders 6 advancing in time with the upward movement of the needles. The above action takes place at a point so early in the raising of the needle that the beard is removed from the vertical plane of the edge of the presser ring before coming in contact with the latter, which thus avoids any second pressing of the beard on the up-stroke of the needle. The. needle and jack now continue to move upwardly in unison along the parallel cam surfaces of tive normal levels again, in which position they are ready for the next successive operation.

It will be noticed, by reference to Fig. 2,

tracting surface of cam 22, the downward movementof the needles is an accelerated one, and aS during this movement of the needle the latter is brought into contact with the jack, the outward flexing of the needle and the pressure upon the beard is less pronounced at the beginning than at the com pletion of the operation. This results in a smootherand easier action which tends to increase the life of the needles. The beardpressing devices thus provided lie wholly external to the cylindrical surface defined by the bottoms of the slots in the needle cylinder, and it is, therefore, unnecessary to provide openings through the cylinder wall for the passage or reception of any of such devices.

While the above invention has been shown and described as particularly adapted to use in circular knitting machines of the spring beard independent needle type, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such machines but that the claimed devices are applicable without change to machines of other types.

I claim:

1. A knitting machine of that type employing spring beard needles, comprising in combination, a needle bed having needle guiding grooves therein, a needle beard presser member, means for producing relative movement between said presser and a needle mounted in one of said grooves in a direction longitudinally of the needle, and means wholly external to a surface defining the bottoms of the several needle grooves, such means acting upon the needle at a point relatively distant from its beard and being operative to flex the needle transversely of its length, whereby to bring its beard into contact with said presser.

2. In combination, in a knitting machine, a needle support, a spring beard needle thereon, a beard presser member, means for relatively moving said presser member and needle in a direction longitudinally of the latter, a device having an element movable into and out of operative engagement with the needle shank at a point relatively re mote from the needle beard, and positivemeans for so movingsaid element, said device acting to flex the needle shank transversely about a point remote from the beard to bring the latter into contact with the presser member.

3. In a knitting machine in combination, a spring beard needle, a beard presser member, means for imparting movement to said needle for drawing a stitch, and a needle flexing device movable in a path substantially parallel to that of the needle in its stitch drawing'movement and operative to flex the needle transversely to bring its beard into contact with said beard presser.

4. In combination in a knitting machine, a support having a needle slot therein, a needle movable in said slot, a jack also movable in said slot, means for moving said jack relatively to the needle and complementary cam elements carried by the needle shank and jack and tending when brought into contact to move the hook end of needle outwardly of its slot.

5. A knitting machine having in combination knitting instrumentalities including spring beard needles, a common beard presser for the needles, a device movable relativelyto a needle whereby to cause the closing of the needle beard by said beard presser, cam means for actuating said needle to form a stitch and cam means for actuating said device, said respective cam means providing cam portions having parallel and non-parallel portions;

p 6; In aknitting machine in combination a spring beard needle,- a presser therefor, and a cam element operative by direct contact with the needle shank at a point below :the hook thereof, whereby to flex the shank to cause engagement of the needle beard with the presser.

7. In a knitting machine in combination,

a spring beard needle; beard pressing means therefor, a cam element arranged for'direct contact with-a portion of the needle shank at a substantial distance below the point of the needle beard, and means for moving the needle relatively tosaid cam element whereby the latter is rendered operative to flex the needle tobring the beard into contact with the pressing means.

8. In a machine of the class described, in combination a spring beard needle, a presser therefor, and a cam element movable relatively to the needle in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the latter, said cam element being constructed and arranged to flex the needle whereby to bring its beard into closing contact with the presser.

guideway,means for moving the needle longitudinally of said guideway, and a device movable along said guideway and havingan elementengagea'ble with a portion of the needle shank whereby to flex the hook end of the needle outwardlyof said guideway during its longitudinal movement therein.

10. In a knitting machine in combination, a needle support having a needleslot therein, a needle movable longitudinally of said-slot,

a device movable in said slotand positioned to the. rear'of the needle and a cam element carried by said device and constructed and arranged to contact with a portion of the needle shank whereby to flex, the hook end of the latter outwardly of the'slot; I

11. 'In a knitting machine in combination,

a'e'need'le providedwith an outstanding hump inits shank portion andvmeans cooperating with said hump for transversely flexing the "pressing movement to said devices, said machine of the class described hav-- ing in comblnatlon a support PIOVIdGdWltli' 'a needle guldeway, a'needle' movable 1n said I needles transversely hook end of the needle outwardly of its groove. g V V 12. In a knitting machine in combination,

a needle provided in its shank portion with a cam element; and a member having a complementary cam element constructed and arranged for contact with said first cam element, whereby to flex the hook'end' of the needle relatively to the butt portion thereof. 13. In a knitting machine in combination, a needle having a hook portion and a shank portion, a cam incline carried by said shank portion, and means cooperative with said cam incline for imparting movement to said hook portion. p g 14. A knitting machine having in combination a longitudinally movable spring beard needle, a beard presser afjack movable relatively to the needle,said jack having an element which by contact with the needle acts to flex the latter to bring its beard into closing contact with the press'er, cam means for actuating said needle and jack, said cam means presenting .substan tially parallel portions during the final portion of the stitch drawing movement of the needle, andnon=parallel portions during the first part of the succeeding elevation ofthe needle.

7 15. In a knitting. machine in combination a spring beard needle and means forac't'u ating the same,- a presser for theneedle beard, and means including a cam having a dwell portion'forimparting a relative beard means being constructed and arranged to accelerate the time of release of the needle heard as respects its period of closure.

16. In a knitting machine in combination a spring beard needle, cam means including a cam having a dwell portion. for actuating the same and means for closing the needle beard, said means being constructed and arrangedlto close the beard and]mainta'in it closed throughout a substantialportion of the stitch drawing movement of the needle and to permit the beard to fully open at a relatively early time in the upward movement of the'needle. a I

17'. In an independent needle knitting machine, in combination a needle cylinder, a series of spring-beard needles slidablethereon and provided with humps on their shanks, a beard Yp'resser member, a cam cylinder,

1 needle cams therein, a seriesof jacksrassociated with the respective needles, and earns in said cam cylinder for actuating said jacks whereby said jacks are brought into opera- 7 tive engagement with sa'id humps to flex'the fSigned by me at Philadelphia Pennsyl- 125 Vania, this 12th day of'May,1920,

" WILLIAM SCHWARZE. 

